Police still searching for 83-year-old woman

Published: Friday, November 9, 2012 at 5:24 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 9, 2012 at 5:24 p.m.

Every afternoon, Alma Lawson walked two blocks down Stanley Street to Mable Everett's house. The two have been friends for 50 years, members of the same church who, now in their 80s, spend hours each day together.

Sunday was no different except for one thing: Lawson vanished on her way back home.

Throughout the week, police officers have fanned out around Lawson's neighborhood of Love Grove on the city's north side in what they described as an exhaustive, days-long search for the missing 83-year-old mother.

Detective Kevin Tully, the lead investigator, even climbed down into open storm drains where Lawson might have fallen. “Every minute counts when the weather gets cold like this,” he said.

While the search drags on, interviews this week with family, friends, neighbors and police detectives helped string together a timeline of Lawson's last known movements. Together, they show a woman who, despite her age and early signs of dementia, maintained a considerable measure of independence. But her eyesight had been growing worse, so much so that she grew used to listening to her favorite television show, “Judge Judy”, more than watching it.

Her disappearance has left a neighborhood accustomed to seeing a straw-hatted Lawson ambling down the block each afternoon like clockwork anxiously awaiting any sign of the one they knew affectionately as Ms. Alma.

“It's like an alien came and just swooped her,” said Pamela Everett, Mable's daughter. The Wilmington Fire Department launched boats to search nearby Smith and Burnt Mill creeks on Thursday. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office has used sonar to scan the creek bottoms, sending a diver down to investigate anything suspicious. A search and rescue team from neighboring Brunswick County came over to assist, using dogs to try to pick up on Lawson's scent. Neighbors joined in, walking in groups around surrounding streets. A helicopter searched from above. Flyers went out.

“We want to make sure we left no stone unturned, three or four times,” said Sgt. Tom Tilmon, a member of the Wilmington Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division, which investigates missing persons.

As the hunt for Lawson entered its fifth day on Friday, hope of finding her alive seemed to be fading. Her son, Ahmad Rashed, knows how quickly the window for locating her closes after 48 hours. The mother of five, Lawson worked as a nurse's aid well into her 70s, her son said. She retired from the New Hanover County Health Department and moved in with him, at his insistence, several years ago.

Now he hopes detectives can answer the nagging mystery of what happened to his fading elderly mother. “I just want closure,” he said.

The Sunday Lawson disappeared began like any one of her days. Her son woke up and made her a sausage biscuit and coffee about 7 a.m. While she ate breakfast, he laid her church clothes on her bed. As she dressed, he left to buy a newspaper.

When Rashed returned from the store, Lawson had changed back into her regular clothes and was sitting on the couch. When Rashed asked what was wrong, she replied that she did not feel well enough to attend church that day. That struck Rashed as odd.

“That was the first time that happened,” he said. “My mother never missed church.”

Around 9:30 or 10 that morning, Rashed went back to bed. As he napped, Lawson gathered her black jacket, keys and straw-brimmed hat and, in keeping with her routine, walked to Everett's house.

Weighing a slight 102 pounds and standing about 5 feet, 5 inches tall, Lawson walked slow. Neighbors said she moved in short, choppy steps while hugging the curb.

Sometimes on her walks she stopped to exchange pleasantries with neighbors. But no one interviewed by the StarNews reported seeing her on Sunday. Once Lawson arrived at Everett's, the two spent hours watching television, listening to music and talking about life as young girls. As the sun started setting on Sunday, Lawson figured it was time to head home. She walked out of Everett's front door around 4:30 p.m., Mable Everett said.

Back at home, Rashed noticed around 6 p.m. that his mother had not come home. He phoned Mable Everett to inquire about his mother's whereabouts. Lawson left more than an hour ago, Everett told him.

Rashed dialed 911.

What happened to Lawson remained an open question on Friday. Did she simply wander past her house and get lost? Did she get in a car with somebody? Was she kidnapped? Any scenario is possible, detectives said.

Whatever happens, whether police find Lawson dead or alive, Mable Everett is left a void every moment her friend is gone.

<p>Every afternoon, Alma Lawson walked two blocks down Stanley Street to Mable Everett's house. The two have been friends for 50 years, members of the same church who, now in their 80s, spend hours each day together. </p><p>Sunday was no different except for one thing: Lawson vanished on her way back home. </p><p>Throughout the week, police officers have fanned out around Lawson's neighborhood of Love Grove on the city's north side in what they described as an exhaustive, days-long search for the missing 83-year-old mother. </p><p>Detective Kevin Tully, the lead investigator, even climbed down into open storm drains where Lawson might have fallen. “Every minute counts when the weather gets cold like this,” he said. </p><p>While the search drags on, interviews this week with family, friends, neighbors and police detectives helped string together a timeline of Lawson's last known movements. Together, they show a woman who, despite her age and early signs of dementia, maintained a considerable measure of independence. But her eyesight had been growing worse, so much so that she grew used to listening to her favorite television show, “Judge Judy”, more than watching it.</p><p>Her disappearance has left a neighborhood accustomed to seeing a straw-hatted Lawson ambling down the block each afternoon like clockwork anxiously awaiting any sign of the one they knew affectionately as Ms. Alma.</p><p>“It's like an alien came and just swooped her,” said Pamela Everett, Mable's daughter. The Wilmington Fire Department launched boats to search nearby Smith and Burnt Mill creeks on Thursday. The <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9932"><b>New Hanover County Sheriff</b></a>'s Office has used sonar to scan the creek bottoms, sending a diver down to investigate anything suspicious. A search and rescue team from neighboring Brunswick County came over to assist, using dogs to try to pick up on Lawson's scent. Neighbors joined in, walking in groups around surrounding streets. A helicopter searched from above. Flyers went out. </p><p>“We want to make sure we left no stone unturned, three or four times,” said Sgt. Tom Tilmon, a member of the Wilmington Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division, which investigates missing persons.</p><p> As the hunt for Lawson entered its fifth day on Friday, hope of finding her alive seemed to be fading. Her son, Ahmad Rashed, knows how quickly the window for locating her closes after 48 hours. The mother of five, Lawson worked as a nurse's aid well into her 70s, her son said. She retired from the New Hanover County Health Department and moved in with him, at his insistence, several years ago.</p><p>Now he hopes detectives can answer the nagging mystery of what happened to his fading elderly mother. “I just want closure,” he said. </p><p>The Sunday Lawson disappeared began like any one of her days. Her son woke up and made her a sausage biscuit and coffee about 7 a.m. While she ate breakfast, he laid her church clothes on her bed. As she dressed, he left to buy a newspaper. </p><p>When Rashed returned from the store, Lawson had changed back into her regular clothes and was sitting on the couch. When Rashed asked what was wrong, she replied that she did not feel well enough to attend church that day. That struck Rashed as odd.</p><p>“That was the first time that happened,” he said. “My mother never missed church.”</p><p>Around 9:30 or 10 that morning, Rashed went back to bed. As he napped, Lawson gathered her black jacket, keys and straw-brimmed hat and, in keeping with her routine, walked to Everett's house. </p><p>Weighing a slight 102 pounds and standing about 5 feet, 5 inches tall, Lawson walked slow. Neighbors said she moved in short, choppy steps while hugging the curb.</p><p>Sometimes on her walks she stopped to exchange pleasantries with neighbors. But no one interviewed by the StarNews reported seeing her on Sunday. Once Lawson arrived at Everett's, the two spent hours watching television, listening to music and talking about life as young girls. As the sun started setting on Sunday, Lawson figured it was time to head home. She walked out of Everett's front door around 4:30 p.m., Mable Everett said.</p><p>Back at home, Rashed noticed around 6 p.m. that his mother had not come home. He phoned Mable Everett to inquire about his mother's whereabouts. Lawson left more than an hour ago, Everett told him. </p><p>Rashed dialed 911. </p><p>What happened to Lawson remained an open question on Friday. Did she simply wander past her house and get lost? Did she get in a car with somebody? Was she kidnapped? Any scenario is possible, detectives said. </p><p>Whatever happens, whether police find Lawson dead or alive, Mable Everett is left a void every moment her friend is gone.</p><p>“It was all my company,” Everett said. “I called her my baby. That's my baby.” </p><p>The police department asks that anyone with information about Lawson's whereabouts call 343-3600. </p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9904"><b>Brian Freskos</b></a>: 343-2327</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @BrianFreskos</i></p>